Calhoun County native Bernard Pius Bell received the Medal of Honor for his bravery in World War II. In December 1944, Bell and his small squad captured a schoolhouse in France and held it against German attacks. He killed over 20 enemy soldiers and captured 33. President Truman awarded him the Medal of Honor in 1945. After the war, Bell worked for the Veterans Administration. He's buried at Arlington National Cemetery, and a Calhoun County bridge in Calhoun County is named in his honor.